5 ms·

The mosquito-repelling activity of sweetgrass

27 points by inm 11y ago

DennisP 11y ago
If only the article had mentioned the Latin name of the plant. Wikipedia gives four possibilities: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_grass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_grass
- ZirconCode 11y ago
  Both possibilities mentioned to be native to America seem to have coumarin. Since this is what repels the mosquitoes perhaps it was irrelevant.
- VeejayRampay 11y ago
  Hierochloe odorata
  - pvaldes 11y ago
    There is a lot of plants with coumarin in fact, not ony weeds.
    - VeejayRampay 11y ago
      Good to know, thanks.
saluki 11y ago
https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/grasses-sedges-rushes/hierochloe-odorata-sweet-grass.html https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/grasses-sedges-rushes/hier...
npongratz 11y ago
Anecdotes are not data, of course, but my mosquito bite-riddled hide begged to differ with my grandmother's (and apparently, some scientists') belief that Avon's "Skin So Soft" worked as insect repellent back in the 1990s.
- will_work4tears 11y ago
  Have you tried Lemon Eucalyptus oil? The CDC (and EPA) seem to support the claim that it is a similar strength as DEET[0]. [0] - http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r050428.htm http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r050428.htm
- freehunter 11y ago
  Ha my grandma had that when I was growing up too. We'd spray it on when we went camping. Can't say I've ever known it to work, when we went fishing we'd always lather ourselves in DEET instead.
- unprepare 11y ago
  I just returned from a vacation in florida. I can tell you that skin-so-soft definitely works against no-see-ums (or midges). It doesnt seem to have any effect at all on mosquitos. I sprayed the oil on a table covered in both mosquitos and no-see-ums. the mosquitos flew away and the no-see-ums all died right where they were.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    'flew away' is working, for some values of 'working'
hadeharian 11y ago
It's good to be developing chemicals better than Deet, considering most Dermatologists would never use the stuff.
dsr_ 11y ago
Wikipedia tells me that coumarin is only a precursor to coumadin, and is not, therefore, a well-known rat poison and anticoagulant. I hope WP is right.
smoyer 11y ago
I'm very hopeful some of these safe Deet alternatives become products. If you need a mosquito repellent, stand next to me and you won't get a single bite (my family is very appreciative).
JoeAltmaier 11y ago
I know a young man, camped with him 100 times (Boy Scouts), who does not get bit by mosquitoes. Think about that. If he could bottle whatever it is, he would be a billionaire.
terov 11y ago
In the same vein: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800 Geraniol, linalool, and citronella compared (candles and diffusers, albeit indoors). Geraniol appeared most effective. More by many of the same researchers: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800

27 points by inm 11y ago

If only the article had mentioned the Latin name of the plant. Wikipedia gives four possibilities: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_grass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_grass

ZirconCode 11y ago
Both possibilities mentioned to be native to America seem to have coumarin. Since this is what repels the mosquitoes perhaps it was irrelevant.
VeejayRampay 11y ago
Hierochloe odorata
- pvaldes 11y ago
  There is a lot of plants with coumarin in fact, not ony weeds.
  - VeejayRampay 11y ago
    Good to know, thanks.

saluki 11y ago

https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/grasses-sedges-rushes/hierochloe-odorata-sweet-grass.html https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/grasses-sedges-rushes/hier...

npongratz 11y ago

Anecdotes are not data, of course, but my mosquito bite-riddled hide begged to differ with my grandmother's (and apparently, some scientists') belief that Avon's "Skin So Soft" worked as insect repellent back in the 1990s.

will_work4tears 11y ago
Have you tried Lemon Eucalyptus oil? The CDC (and EPA) seem to support the claim that it is a similar strength as DEET[0]. [0] - http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r050428.htm http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r050428.htm
freehunter 11y ago
Ha my grandma had that when I was growing up too. We'd spray it on when we went camping. Can't say I've ever known it to work, when we went fishing we'd always lather ourselves in DEET instead.
unprepare 11y ago
I just returned from a vacation in florida. I can tell you that skin-so-soft definitely works against no-see-ums (or midges). It doesnt seem to have any effect at all on mosquitos. I sprayed the oil on a table covered in both mosquitos and no-see-ums. the mosquitos flew away and the no-see-ums all died right where they were.
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  'flew away' is working, for some values of 'working'

hadeharian 11y ago

It's good to be developing chemicals better than Deet, considering most Dermatologists would never use the stuff.

dsr_ 11y ago

Wikipedia tells me that coumarin is only a precursor to coumadin, and is not, therefore, a well-known rat poison and anticoagulant. I hope WP is right.

smoyer 11y ago

I'm very hopeful some of these safe Deet alternatives become products. If you need a mosquito repellent, stand next to me and you won't get a single bite (my family is very appreciative).

JoeAltmaier 11y ago

I know a young man, camped with him 100 times (Boy Scouts), who does not get bit by mosquitoes. Think about that. If he could bottle whatever it is, he would be a billionaire.

terov 11y ago

In the same vein: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800 Geraniol, linalool, and citronella compared (candles and diffusers, albeit indoors). Geraniol appeared most effective. More by many of the same researchers: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20836800